Post by Elaine on Feb 9, 2008 13:23:33 GMT
If you have a horse who tends to kick out a bit with his hind (or front) feet, and you want to work on this, here's a nice way to do it... first priority is to keep both of you safe, so put on your hat, gloves, good boots, coat, use a long lead rope (12 foot or simliar) and have a headcollar on your horse. Do this in a safe enclosed paddock or arena - not on concrete and not in stable. Step 1 is the dummy arm 
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The dummy arm is literally a pretend arm (you can make one yourself from your local dept store - I made one with a mop handle, jumper & gardening glove). The idea is atht you can use it to touch your horses legs without you having to be too near your horse, particular if you horse is knwon to kick out when his legs are touched or lifted.
It is used like your real arm, but you are standing 3 or 4 feet away from your horse so if he does kick you're not right there beside him in the firing line.
Then I'd use advance & retreat. Do this in an arena though, not a stable or anywhere enclosed, and wear a hat, gloves, good shoes, thick coat, etc.
So you're standing 4 feet away from him on a loose rein, first goal is to rub his body - except his legs all over with the arm. If he stands still, take arm away and give him a rest for a few secs. If he moves, you'reeither going to far too fast, or if you're not, just keep dummy arm touching him, till he stops moving, Then take arm away as a reward. Continue until he's cool about the arm all over his body (but not his legs yet).
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Now we're going to work on his front legs. (practise for you & building confidence in your horse). Touch his shoulder. If he moves, keep arm there, If he stops moving, or continnues to stand still, take arm away immediately.
When he's 100% at his shoulder, touch the top of his leg.
If he moves, keep arm there. If he stops, or doesnt move, take arm away immediately.
When he's 100% at top of leg, rub his forearm a little. If he moves, keep arm there. If he stops, or doesn't move, take arm away immediately.
Conintue like this - only doing it in 3 or 4 min lessons and then stopping the lesson after a good effort. Don't stay doing thsi for half an hour and getting both of you revved up too much. Instead, do it little and often. He'll pck it up quickly.
When whole body & front legs (but not back legs) are 110% , now you're ready to start on the back legs. You do the same thing you did for the front legs.
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Touch his near hip. If he moves, or kicks out with any leg, keep arm there, If he stops moving, or continnues to stand still, take arm away immediately.
When he's 100% at his hip touch the top of his leg.
If he moves, or kicks out with any leg, keep arm there. If he stops, or doesnt move, take arm away immediately.
When he's 100% at the top of his leg, rub a little further down, above his hock. If he moves, or kicks out with any leg, keep arm there. If he stops, or doesnt move, take arm away immediately.
When he's 100% above his hock, touch around his hock. If he moves, or kicks out with any leg, keep arm there. If he stops, or doesnt move, take arm away immediately.
When he's 100% around his hock, touch below his hock. If he moves, or kicks out with any leg, keep arm there. If he stops, or doesnt move, take arm away immediately.
When he's 100% below his hock, touch his pastern. If he moves, or kicks out with any leg, keep arm there. If he stops, or doesnt move, take arm away immediately.
When he's 100% at his pastern, touch around his hoof. If he moves, or kicks out with any leg, keep arm there. If he stops, or doesnt move, take arm away immediately.
Eventually you should be able to touch anywhere on that near hind leg without him moving ANY legs or feet.
Then repeat on the other back leg.
ONLY when both back legs are PERFECT with the dummy arm (ie horse asleep while arm moving ALL about hind legs) would I put the dummy arm back in its closet.
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THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND:
For this exercise, the horse is the one who will decide how long all of this will take. You have to follow his lead.
This excercis requires a trainer who can read a horse, and will take away the pressure (dummy arm) the SPLIT second they see the horse stand still and RELAX.
Anyway long post, hope its of some use.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The dummy arm is literally a pretend arm (you can make one yourself from your local dept store - I made one with a mop handle, jumper & gardening glove). The idea is atht you can use it to touch your horses legs without you having to be too near your horse, particular if you horse is knwon to kick out when his legs are touched or lifted.
It is used like your real arm, but you are standing 3 or 4 feet away from your horse so if he does kick you're not right there beside him in the firing line.
Then I'd use advance & retreat. Do this in an arena though, not a stable or anywhere enclosed, and wear a hat, gloves, good shoes, thick coat, etc.
So you're standing 4 feet away from him on a loose rein, first goal is to rub his body - except his legs all over with the arm. If he stands still, take arm away and give him a rest for a few secs. If he moves, you'reeither going to far too fast, or if you're not, just keep dummy arm touching him, till he stops moving, Then take arm away as a reward. Continue until he's cool about the arm all over his body (but not his legs yet).
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Now we're going to work on his front legs. (practise for you & building confidence in your horse). Touch his shoulder. If he moves, keep arm there, If he stops moving, or continnues to stand still, take arm away immediately.
When he's 100% at his shoulder, touch the top of his leg.
If he moves, keep arm there. If he stops, or doesnt move, take arm away immediately.
When he's 100% at top of leg, rub his forearm a little. If he moves, keep arm there. If he stops, or doesn't move, take arm away immediately.
Conintue like this - only doing it in 3 or 4 min lessons and then stopping the lesson after a good effort. Don't stay doing thsi for half an hour and getting both of you revved up too much. Instead, do it little and often. He'll pck it up quickly.
When whole body & front legs (but not back legs) are 110% , now you're ready to start on the back legs. You do the same thing you did for the front legs.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Touch his near hip. If he moves, or kicks out with any leg, keep arm there, If he stops moving, or continnues to stand still, take arm away immediately.
When he's 100% at his hip touch the top of his leg.
If he moves, or kicks out with any leg, keep arm there. If he stops, or doesnt move, take arm away immediately.
When he's 100% at the top of his leg, rub a little further down, above his hock. If he moves, or kicks out with any leg, keep arm there. If he stops, or doesnt move, take arm away immediately.
When he's 100% above his hock, touch around his hock. If he moves, or kicks out with any leg, keep arm there. If he stops, or doesnt move, take arm away immediately.
When he's 100% around his hock, touch below his hock. If he moves, or kicks out with any leg, keep arm there. If he stops, or doesnt move, take arm away immediately.
When he's 100% below his hock, touch his pastern. If he moves, or kicks out with any leg, keep arm there. If he stops, or doesnt move, take arm away immediately.
When he's 100% at his pastern, touch around his hoof. If he moves, or kicks out with any leg, keep arm there. If he stops, or doesnt move, take arm away immediately.
Eventually you should be able to touch anywhere on that near hind leg without him moving ANY legs or feet.
Then repeat on the other back leg.
ONLY when both back legs are PERFECT with the dummy arm (ie horse asleep while arm moving ALL about hind legs) would I put the dummy arm back in its closet.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND:
For this exercise, the horse is the one who will decide how long all of this will take. You have to follow his lead.
This excercis requires a trainer who can read a horse, and will take away the pressure (dummy arm) the SPLIT second they see the horse stand still and RELAX.
Anyway long post, hope its of some use.
